Michael “Mike” Ledesma, 69, of Oelwein passed away Thursday April 18, 2024 at MercyOne Medical Center in Oelwein. Visitation will be from 4:00-7:00 PM on Tuesday April 23, 2024 at the Geilenfeld-Buehner Funeral Home in Oelwein. Funeral services will begin at 11:00 AM on Wednesday April, 24, 2024 at the Evangelical Free Church in Oelwein with Pastor Troy Rife officiating. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery at Oelwein. Memorials may be directed to the family for later designation.
Michael Joseph Ledesma was born July 15, 1954 in Oelwein to parents Felipe and Consuelo (Lujan) Ledesma. He graduated from Sacred Heart Catholic High School in Oelwein with the class of 1972. After graduation, Mike worked for Oelwein Landscaping. In the year 1998, he met the love of his life, Dawn, they married March 18, 2000. Together in the year 2000, they ventured into starting their own business, Desi's Landscaping. When he retired from his landscaping business, he kept busy working for StewartScape and the City of Oelwein. He was in charge of taking care of the flower baskets that line downtown Oelwein during the spring and summer seasons. He took great pride in how they would flourish each year.
Aside from his love of landscaping, Mike was an avid Packers & Hawkeye Fan. In earlier years, when his children were growing up, he was involved as much as possible in their activities. He was kept busy with helping coach sports teams, being a Cub Scout Leader and went to Boy Scout camp with his sons each year. As grandchildren were born, he never missed an activity they were involved in, his grandchildren were the absolute light of his life and he was theirs. Mike was always there for anyone and everyone, without hesitation. If you ever needed him, he would drop whatever he was doing in the moment and go to you. Mike was a simple man, he never worried about material possessions. All he needed to be happy, was his family and friends. Mike could walk into a room, not knowing anyone and walk out friends with everyone. To know him, was to love him. He had a unique sense of humor; you couldn't have a conversation with him without laughing at least once. He had a great ability to make others smile and his sense of humor will be missed.
Left to celebrate Mike’s life are his wife Dawn; his children: Tiffanny (Nathan) Ledesma of Jackson, MS, Shaun (Hali) Ledesma of Granby, CO, Fonda Ciesielski of Oelwein, Faith (Derek) Smith of Oelwein, Ben Bartels of Hazleton and Tanner (Brandy) Bartels of Pinellas Park, FL; his sixteen grandchildren; his siblings: Paul (Ione) Ledesma of Waverly, Phyllis (Gary) Trumblee of Hazleton, Rebecca (Dwight) Garner of Coggon, Jesse (Pam) Ledesma of Oelwein, Pat (Kay) Ledesma of Waterloo, Tim (Sue) Ledesma of Oelwein and Tom (Terri) Ledesma of Oelwein; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his sons: Brian and Robbie Mallam; and his sister Frances Potter.
